Madras HC seeks TN govt's status report in preventing illicit liquor

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court directed the State to file a detailed status report with respect to the action taken regarding the illicit liquor deaths in Marakkanam and Kallakurichi, also directed to file the number of cases registered against the illicit liquor sellers throughout Tamil Nadu.

A division bench of Justice D Krishnakumar and Justice K Kumaresh Babu heard the public interest litigation (PIL) moved by AIADMK advocate I.S Inbadurai and another advocate D Selvam seeking to transfer the investigation of hooch death tragedy at Kallakurichi to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Advocate Selvam submitted that a year back in 2023 a similar incident had happened in Marakkanam where 30 persons died by consuming illegal arrack.

In March 2023, Kallakurichi MLA of AIADMK brought a motion in the assembly regarding the prevalence of illicit liquor, despite that the government has failed to take any action to prevent the arrack sales, said the advocate.

The authorities and police are getting money from the illicit liquor sellers so the illegal arrack is freely flowing in Kallakurichi, said the advocate.

Till now 51 persons have died and more than 100 were admitted in the hospitals, the death toll may increase as most of them are in critical stage, said the advocate.

The State could not handle the situation to prevent the illegal arrack, said the advocate and sought to transfer the investigation from CB-CID to CBI.

Advocate General (AG) PS Raman submitted that the official death number is 47 and 165 persons were admitted in hospitals in which 28 persons are in critical condition and 58 persons are in stable status.

The persons in critical conditions are shifted to Jipmer hospital Puducherry, said the AG.

It was also submitted that 4 accused, Govindarajan alias Kannukutty, his wife and two other aides have been arrested, who are responsible for the tragedy, said the AG.

The AG also submitted that the tragic incident happened as the accused mixed Methanol in hooch and also said that the key accused Govindarajan was in possession of Methanol mixed arrack when he was arrested.

The State has sprung into action to control the situation and prevent such incidents in future, the AG submitted.

The bench asked the AG, despite the notice, why such an incident is recurring within a year after the same incident happened in Marakkanam.

The bench also said that before the tragic incident there was a news report regarding the prevalence of illicit liquor in Kallakurichi and also some interviews were given on Youtube that illegal arracks are been made in Kalvarayan hills.

Since the case is about the lives of people, the bench asked why the State did not learn any lessons from the past.

The bench directed the State to file a status report regarding the action taken to prevent the illicit liquor and the number of cases registered in this regard. The bench also observed, to increase the de-addiction center across the State and posted the matter to June 26 for further submission.